Ryu So-yeon missed out on the LPGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record, but she got the champagne shower she was longing for on the final green — reversing roles with Inbee Park.
“I’ve been waiting so long for the champagne,” Ryu said on Sunday after winning the Canadian Women’s Open for her third LPGA Tour victory. “I was ready to get champagne. I put champagne on Inbee maybe more than five times. Finally, she gave it to me.”
While Ryu fell short of Sorenstam’s tour record of 27-under, she finished at 23-under at London Hunt to break the tournament record for relation to par by five shots.
Photo: AFP
“I’m a bit disappointed I couldn’t reach Annika’s record,” Ryu said.
The 24-year-old Ryu closed with a 3-under 69 to hold off fellow South Korean Choi Na-yeon by two strokes. Park — the LPGA Championship winner last week — completed a South Korean sweep of the first three spots, shooting a 68 to finish at 18-under.
The three players are close friends — Ryu and Choi are to be bridesmaids at Park’s October wedding — and dined together at a sushi restaurant last week.
Ryu opened with a course-record 63 and added rounds of 66 and 67 to take a four-stroke lead into the final day. She took a six-shot advantage to the back nine, but that dropped to a single stroke when she bogeyed the par-4 15th and Choi made a birdie.
Ryu took a six-shot advantage to the back nine, but that dropped to a single stroke when she bogeyed the par-4 15th and Choi made a birdie.
“When she missed that putt, I thought, `Maybe I could have a chance,”’ Choi said.
Ryu rebounded with a birdie on the 16th and closed with two pars.
“I thought: ‘Everybody’s nervous and Na-yeon’s nervous, definitely,’ so I just accepted my nervousness and I just tried to enjoy it,” Ryu said.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng finished tied for 42nd on 285 overall, while compatriot Candie Kung was tied for 64th at 288.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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